Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an NC program generating and editing apparatus that automatically generates an NC program based on basic data for NC program generation, and, when the generated NC program is edited, updates the basic data in accordance with the contents of the editing if the editing is related to only a preset NC code.
Background of the Disclosure
Expert knowledge is necessary for generating an NC program; therefore, a certain skill level is required of a programmer. Hence, there has conventionally been provided, for example, an interactive program generating apparatus attached to a machine tool so that even a machine tool operator can easily generate an NC program.
This interactive program generating apparatus is configured to display, on a display device of an appropriate input and output device, a screen for allowing basic data necessary for generating an NC program, i.e., workpiece shape and dimensions, machining finished shape and dimensions, the contents of machining steps, etc. to be input, a screen for allowing a tool to be selected, and other screens to allow an operator to input necessary basic data in an interactive manner, and automatically generate the NC program based on the input basic data and information stored in a database.
Note that the information stored in the database includes inherent information of the machine tool, information relating to workpiece material and workpiece basic shape, information relating to machined product basic shape, information relating to machining steps such as outer diameter machining, inner diameter machining and grooving, information relating to machining shape, information relating to tool specifications such as tool number and the type, material and dimensions thereof, information relating to cutting conditions depending on workpiece material and tool material, and the like. Further, the basic data input in an interactive manner is generally referred to as CAM data (or interactive data).
Further, as an example of such an interactive program generating apparatus, there has conventionally been known the machining program generation support apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-108077 mentioned below.